Build a South America trip around the landscapes and experiences you most want to reach. A city stay in Rio de Janeiro, a cultural journey in Peru and a wider route through Argentina or Chile are different starting points. Browse our existing guides below, choose a main destination and compare the travel involved before adding another country or region.
Choose a starting point
Peru
Culture and a country-level route
Use the overview to identify the places and experiences that interest you. Put the main route on a map before deciding how many stops to include.
Rio de Janeiro
A city between mountains and the coast
Start here for a city-focused visit. Choose your base around the neighbourhoods and activities you want to prioritise, then group nearby outings.
Argentina
A broader cultural and landscape journey
Begin with the country guide to shortlist regions. Compare the journey between them before combining several different landscapes in one holiday.
Browse all South America guides
Choose a country for the wider picture, or open a city, island or regional guide for a more focused starting point.
Country guides
City guides
Find the right trip for you
These are editorial starting points, rather than rankings or fixed itineraries. Use the linked destination guides to narrow your choice.
| Your priority | Where to start | First planning decision |
|---|---|---|
| A city-focused visit | Rio de Janeiro, with Brazil for wider context | Choose a neighbourhood and leave time between planned outings. |
| Culture and historic places | Peru | Shortlist the route and check the practical requirements of key visits. |
| Several contrasting landscapes | Argentina or Chile | Choose the main region and compare onward travel before extending the trip. |
Turn your shortlist into a route
Use a country guide to decide the broad shape of the journey and a city guide to plan a focused stay. Distances, landscapes and travel arrangements vary, so compare the complete transfer between bases rather than just a straight line on the map. A trip within one country can offer enough variety without introducing a second set of border and transport decisions.
- Choose the main landscape, cultural interest or city experience first.
- Map your bases and check transport before reserving consecutive stays.
- Verify entry requirements, current travel advice and the booking details for your priority visits.
South America planning questions
Should I combine several South American countries?
Compare the travel days with the time you want at each stop. Begin with one main country and add another only when the route still gives you enough time for your priorities.
How does the Rio guide relate to the Brazil guide?
The Brazil guide provides a country-level starting point. Rio de Janeiro is the more focused city guide when you want to organise a stay there or place the city within a wider Brazil route.
Plan your next step
Once you have chosen a destination, open its guide for the detailed trip plan. Compare places to stay, use our travel tips for practical preparation, or browse planning tools to organise the journey.